LEMONADE LAB
Pop-Up camp for creative kids with entrepreneurial ambition
Simon says -- and science agrees:
Ages 5–9 are the perfect time to move from Build-A-Bear to build-a-business.
Tools To Explore For the Young Entrepreneur
Tools To Explore For the Young Entrepreneur
From hands-on making to live demos, campers explore real tools — discovering what they love to create, and what they might want to sell. Each cohort works with a focused mix of tools that best fits their age, interests, and the project they're building.
Returning campers can come back for a new session to try more tools from the library, build different products, or go deeper with a favorite.
From hands-on making to live demos, campers explore real tools — discovering what they love to create, and what they might want to sell. Each cohort works with a focused mix of tools that best fits their age, interests, and the project they're building.
Returning campers can come back for a new session to try more tools from the library, build different products, or go deeper with a favorite.
3D Printer
Bambu A1
Campers turn digital designs into real objects — from charms and signs to prototypes, product samples, and tiny inventions they can hold, test, and improve.
3D Printer
Bambu A1
Campers turn digital designs into real objects — from charms and signs to prototypes, product samples, and tiny inventions they can hold, test, and improve.
Cardboard Construction Tools
Makedo
Campers can safely cut, connect, and construct cardboard into prototypes, displays, storefronts, and big imaginative structures.
Cardboard Construction Tools
Makedo
Campers can safely cut, connect, and construct cardboard into prototypes, displays, storefronts, and big imaginative structures.
Digital Cutter
Silhouette Cameo
Campers create digital artwork for stickers, signage, shirts, and totes. It’s a fast way to make an idea feel like a real brand — polished, useful, and repeatable.
Digital Cutter
Silhouette Cameo
Campers create digital artwork for stickers, signage, shirts, and totes. It’s a fast way to make an idea feel like a real brand — polished, useful, and repeatable.
Commercial Button Maker
Tecre 300
Campers turn their original artwork into wearable, professional-grade badges and pins — the perfect high-energy giveaway to promote their business concept.
Commercial Button Maker
Tecre 300
Campers turn their original artwork into wearable, professional-grade badges and pins — the perfect high-energy giveaway to promote their business concept.
Custom Stamp Maker
The Mint - by Silhouette
Campers turn logos, drawings, and tiny brand marks into real stamps for bags, tags, cards, packaging, and thank-you notes — their own stamp of approval, literally.
Custom Stamp Maker
The Mint - by Silhouette
Campers turn logos, drawings, and tiny brand marks into real stamps for bags, tags, cards, packaging, and thank-you notes — their own stamp of approval, literally.
Sewing & Embroidery Machine
Brother SE400
Campers add stitched details, names, patches, and simple embroidered branding to fabric goods and wearable designs.
Sewing & Embroidery Machine
Brother SE400
Campers add stitched details, names, patches, and simple embroidered branding to fabric goods and wearable designs.
Foil Finisher
Minc - by Heidi Swapp
Campers add shiny foil accents to cards, tags, signs, and packaging — a small detail that makes a project feel polished and special.
Foil Finisher
Minc - by Heidi Swapp
Campers add shiny foil accents to cards, tags, signs, and packaging — a small detail that makes a project feel polished and special.
Air Dry Clay
Crayola
Campers shape air-dry clay into prototypes and sellable keepsakes — jewelry dishes, charms, tags, and tiny decorative goods finished with paint, paper, and gloss.
Air Dry Clay
Crayola
Campers shape air-dry clay into prototypes and sellable keepsakes — jewelry dishes, charms, tags, and tiny decorative goods finished with paint, paper, and gloss.
Emboss & Die Cutter
Evolution - by Lifestyle Crafts
Campers cut shapes, add texture, and layer paper details that make cards, tags, and displays feel polished. It’s a lesson in presentation — how small touches make a product feel more valuable.
Emboss & Die Cutter
Evolution - by Lifestyle Crafts
Campers cut shapes, add texture, and layer paper details that make cards, tags, and displays feel polished. It’s a lesson in presentation — how small touches make a product feel more valuable.
Package Punchboard
We R Memory Keepers
Campers design and fold boxes, bags, envelopes, and tags that make products feel giftable and ready to sell — a lesson in how packaging shapes value.
Package Punchboard
We R Memory Keepers
Campers design and fold boxes, bags, envelopes, and tags that make products feel giftable and ready to sell — a lesson in how packaging shapes value.
Design Projector
smART Sketcher
Campers scale, trace, and refine artwork for signs, displays, and repeatable designs — turning one good idea into something clear and recognizable.
Design Projector
smART Sketcher
Campers scale, trace, and refine artwork for signs, displays, and repeatable designs — turning one good idea into something clear and recognizable.
Calligraphy
Caran d'Ache
Campers practice lettering for signs, menus, labels, thank-you cards, product names, and all the little details that make a brand feel real.
Calligraphy
Caran d'Ache
Campers practice lettering for signs, menus, labels, thank-you cards, product names, and all the little details that make a brand feel real.
Swipe to explore
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Pop-Up Dates Summer 2026
Pop-Up Dates
Summer 2026
Each session runs for 5 consecutive days and is capped at six campers. Camp runs 10–4, with before and aftercare available at no extra charge.
* You pack a sandwich or similar entrée item and we provide the sides!
June Dates
Non-Profit Week
June Dates
Non-Profit Week
July Dates
Enterprise Week
July Dates
Enterprise Week
August Dates
Pending Interest
August Dates
Pending Interest
FALL Break
Pending Interest
FALL Break
Pending Interest
Prototyping, testing and building. Our cozy corner of Meridian-Kessler is ready for makers.
From button maker to digital cutter — everything a kid needs to go from idea to finished product.
A little landing spot for big ideas: each camper is assigned her own cubby for the week — a home for lunch, layers, projects and treasures-in-progress.
A little landing spot for big ideas: every camper gets a dedicated cubby for the week — a home for lunch, layers, projects, and treasures-in-progress.
Team pace
Team pace
Meet your camp director, Alexia, and the crew supporting the next generation of creative entrepreneurs.
I grew up in Indiana and went to school right down the street at St. Richard’s, before heading to IU and then to San Francisco for law school.
My arrival in San Francisco coincided with the golden years of startup culture, when it felt like everyone you knew was beta testing something — Pinterest, Airbnb, Twitter, Uber back when it still felt like a luxury black car experiment.
I spent that decade surrounded by people turning ideas into something real through confidence, collaboration, and a willingness to start.
At the same time, I was working closely with Bay Area families to build the routines, expectations, and creative opportunities that help curious kids become capable, self-directed ones.
The first version of this work took shape during summers with children in Healdsburg, California. Lemonade Lab brings it home to Indianapolis: entrepreneurial thinking, made for kids, hosted in Meridian-Kessler for a small cohort of six campers who are safe, known, trusted with real tools, and encouraged to see their ideas as worth building.
I grew up in Indiana and went to school right down the street at St. Richard’s, before heading to IU and then to San Francisco for law school.
My arrival in San Francisco coincided with the golden years of startup culture, when it felt like everyone you knew was beta testing something — Pinterest, Airbnb, Twitter, Uber back when it still felt like a luxury black car experiment.
I spent that decade surrounded by people turning ideas into something real through confidence, collaboration, and a willingness to start.
At the same time, I was working closely with Bay Area families to build the routines, expectations, and creative opportunities that help curious kids become capable, self-directed ones.
The first version of this work took shape during summers with children in Healdsburg, California. Lemonade Lab brings it home to Indianapolis: entrepreneurial thinking, made for kids, hosted in Meridian-Kessler for a small cohort of six campers who are safe, known, trusted with real tools, and encouraged to see their ideas as worth building.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Lemonade Lab take place?
Meridian-Kessler, northside of Indianapolis. Lemonade Lab is hosted inside a dedicated creative space in a historic, 109-year-old, classic American Foursquare. The bright, thoughtfully prepared setting is designed for small-group hands-on making, experimenting, and kid-led entrepreneurship.
Where does Lemonade Lab take place?
Meridian-Kessler, northside of Indianapolis. Lemonade Lab is hosted inside a dedicated creative space in a historic, 109-year-old, classic American Foursquare. The bright, thoughtfully prepared setting is designed for small-group hands-on making, experimenting, and kid-led entrepreneurship.
Lunch & Snacks
LUNCH: We provide all the sides! You just need to pack a sandwich or similar entrée item, such as a wrap, soup, or salad. SNACKS: Fresh fruit and plenty of kid-friendly fuel will be provided daily. WATER: Please pack a leak-proof, refillable water bottle. We’ll provide cool, filtered water for refills. Small-group perk: Because Lemonade Lab serves a small cohort, we’re happy to keep entrée items refrigerated and reheat them as needed.
Lunch & Snacks
LUNCH: We provide all the sides! You just need to pack a sandwich or similar entrée item, such as a wrap, soup, or salad. SNACKS: Fresh fruit and plenty of kid-friendly fuel will be provided daily. WATER: Please pack a leak-proof, refillable water bottle. We’ll provide cool, filtered water for refills. Small-group perk: Because Lemonade Lab serves a small cohort, we’re happy to keep entrée items refrigerated and reheat them as needed.
What are the hours?
Early drop-off is available starting at 9:30am. Core Camp runs from 10:00am - 4:00pm. Aftercare is included until 5:30pm.
What are the hours?
Early drop-off is available starting at 9:30am. Core Camp runs from 10:00am - 4:00pm. Aftercare is included until 5:30pm.
Cancellation Policy
You may cancel for any reason, at any time. Refunds are contingent on the spot being filled from the waitlist. Full replacement: full refund Partial replacement: pro-rated refund No replacement: no refund
Cancellation Policy
You may cancel for any reason, at any time. Refunds are contingent on the spot being filled from the waitlist. Full replacement: full refund Partial replacement: pro-rated refund No replacement: no refund
What does my camper need to wear/bring?
DAILY: • leak-proof water bottle • clean socks for the maker space — grippy socks preferred • closed toe shoes for outdoor play and projects • comfortable top in white or any shade of blue (suggested, not required) FOR THE WEEK: These items may be stored in the camper’s cubby for the week. • warm sweatshirt for indoor A/C • full change of clothes • sunscreen
What does my camper need to wear/bring?
DAILY: • leak-proof water bottle • clean socks for the maker space — grippy socks preferred • closed toe shoes for outdoor play and projects • comfortable top in white or any shade of blue (suggested, not required) FOR THE WEEK: These items may be stored in the camper’s cubby for the week. • warm sweatshirt for indoor A/C • full change of clothes • sunscreen
What ages is this for?
Lemonade Lab is designed for ages 5–9 — but it didn’t start that way. The very first cohort was a group of rising 4th-grade boys. The next summer, a few younger sisters joined, and something unexpected happened. The dynamic shifted completely. Older kids stepped up in ways they never had with peers. Younger kids reached further than anyone expected. What we stumbled into has a long history behind it. For most of human history, children learned together in mixed-age groups — the neighborhood cul-de-sac, the one-room schoolhouse, the backyard full of cousins of every age. The mix wasn’t a compromise. It was the whole point. If you have an older maker who you think would thrive here, reach out before registering and we’ll figure it out together.
What ages is this for?
Lemonade Lab is designed for ages 5–9 — but it didn’t start that way. The very first cohort was a group of rising 4th-grade boys. The next summer, a few younger sisters joined, and something unexpected happened. The dynamic shifted completely. Older kids stepped up in ways they never had with peers. Younger kids reached further than anyone expected. What we stumbled into has a long history behind it. For most of human history, children learned together in mixed-age groups — the neighborhood cul-de-sac, the one-room schoolhouse, the backyard full of cousins of every age. The mix wasn’t a compromise. It was the whole point. If you have an older maker who you think would thrive here, reach out before registering and we’ll figure it out together.
Safety Culture
Lemonade Lab is intentionally set up so kids are visible, supervised, and working in spaces designed for their age and abilities. Our home is smoke-free, drug-free, and firearm-free, and the maker space is on one open level, with campers working together in shared, visible areas that make supervision natural throughout the day. Medication and alcohol are stored and secured on a different level of the house that is not accessible to campers. Our senior dog has his own quiet space up there too, away from all the excitement. Both adults on-site are trained in CPR and First Aid, and the house has working smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and fire blankets on every floor. The backyard is fully fenced and secure. At pickup, your child is released only to the person you specify at registration, every time.
Safety Culture
Lemonade Lab is intentionally set up so kids are visible, supervised, and working in spaces designed for their age and abilities. Our home is smoke-free, drug-free, and firearm-free, and the maker space is on one open level, with campers working together in shared, visible areas that make supervision natural throughout the day. Medication and alcohol are stored and secured on a different level of the house that is not accessible to campers. Our senior dog has his own quiet space up there too, away from all the excitement. Both adults on-site are trained in CPR and First Aid, and the house has working smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and fire blankets on every floor. The backyard is fully fenced and secure. At pickup, your child is released only to the person you specify at registration, every time.